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Sunday, Jun 15, 2008
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No headway in disappearance case

Staff Correspondent

Relationship with wife was cordial, says MLA Raghupati Bhat

Udupi: The mystery over the disappearance of Padmapriya Bhat, wife of Udupi MLA, whose car was found abandoned at Kunjargiri (12 km from Udupi) on Friday continued for the second day on Saturday.

Inspector-General of Police (Western Range) A.M. Prasad told The Hindu that there was no new development in the case.

‘No clues’

“There are neither witnesses nor any direct evidence in the case. The police are working on all angles. There are no clues at the moment,” he said. Mr. Prasad said the Anti-Naxalite Force (ANF) was continuing its search in the forests area around Kunjargiri. “We have alerted all police stations in the State and border police stations in Kerala. A team of officers, comprising two deputy superintendents of police and five inspectors from Udupi and Mangalore, is working on the case,” he said.

MLA’s reaction

Earlier speaking to presspersons at his house, Mr. Raghupati Bhat said he did not understand how the incident happened. “This is unbelievable. I am shocked and surprised. I have full faith in God and the Police Department. I have no personal enmity with anybody. I have not received any threat call. I do not suspect anyone,” he said.

The MLA said he had an extremely cordial relationship with his wife. Asked when he last spoke to Ms. Padmapriya Bhat, he said: “I spoke to her for the last time on Wednesday morning. She sought my permission to go to her mother’s house (at Karnad in Mulky in Dakshina Kannada district), and I agreed. She cooked for me and packed my clothes as I was leaving for Bangalore on Wednesday evening,” Mr. Bhat said.

He said Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Home Minister V.S. Acharya had assured him that a thorough probe would be conducted.

‘No naxal hand’

Bangalore Special Correspondent reports:

The Home Minister has ruled out the hand of naxalites in the disappearance of Ms. Padmapriya Bhat.

Dr. Acharya told presspersons on Saturday stated that Udupi taluk did not come under naxal influence. Some important issues were discussed with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil. One of them was the modernisation of the police force in Karnataka, he added.

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